Loose-leaf binder



A. RUBIN LOOSE LEAF BINDER Dec. 11,1923,

Filed 001;. 16 1922 INVENTOE HAM 3A Patented Dec. 11, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT oF'F c.1-:.

ADOLPH RUBIN, or ST. LoUIs, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO SIEBER PRODUCTS MFG.coy,

or ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION or MISSOURI.

LOOSE-LEAF BINDER; ,7

Application filed October 16, 1922. Serial No. 594,816.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ADOLPH RUBIN, a Citizen of the United States,residing at St; Louis, Missouri, have invented a certain 3 new anduseful Improvement in Loose-Leaf Binders, of which the following is afull, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

19 This invention: relates to loose lea f bind- 1 ers of the type inwhich the leaves are retained in position by tapes, bands or 'COI'dSthat are connected to a winding shaft which is adapted to be rotated inone direction to draw the tapes taut, and thus cause the leaves to beclamped tightly between'the two leaf clamping members ofthe binder.

One object of my invention is to provide an efficient mechanism of noveldesign and 29 inexpensive construction for locking the winding shaft ofaloose leaf binder of the generaltype referred to. 7

-Another object is to'provide a loose leaf binder of novel constructionthat is equipped with a locking -means for the winding shaft whichrequires a special key to render it inoperative and to rotate thewinding shaft'in a direction to slacken the tapes. Other objects anddesirable features of my invention willbe hereinafter pointed out.

To this end I have devised a loose leaf binder that comprises a windingshaft and a coiled spring surrounding said shaft-and arranged in such amanner that it does not interfere with the'forward rotary movement oftheshaft to tighten the tapes, but does effectively hold the winding shaftagainst rearward rotary movement -in a direction to slac-kenthe tapes.When it is desired to slacken the tapes'so as to remove or insert leavesin the binder, it is necessary to change the normal condition of thelocking spring before the winding shaft can be turned rearwardly toslacken the tapes, and in order to reduce to a minimum the liabilityof'an unauthorized person removing leaves from the binder or insertingadditional leaves,;I construct the winding shaft locking mechanism insuch a way thata key of-a special design is required to render itinoperative and to turn the windingshaft in a direction to slacken thetapes;

Figure 1 of the drawings is'an end elevational view of a loose leafbinder constructed in accordance with my invention, showing the tapes ofthebinder tightened.

Figure 2 (is a similar View, showing the tapes slackened." I V Figure 3is a top plan view of the binder, showing the tapes slackened. I

Figure 4 is a detail view, illustrating a portion of the winding shaftand the locking spring that is combined with same, illustrating thelocking spring in its normal operative condition. 05

Figure 5 is a view of the parts shown in Figure 4:, illustrating the keythat is used to render the locking spring inoperative and toturn thewinding shaft rearwardly to slacken the tapes; and I Figure 6 is aperspective view of the winding key.

Referring to the drawings which illustrate the preferred form of myinvention, Aand A designate two leaf' clamping members between which,leaves B are arranged. C designates tapes or bands of flexible materialthat pass through -slots'in the leaves B and D designates a winding.shaft to which one end of the tapes C are connected, the opposite endsof said tapes being connected to'the leaf clamping member A. r Thewinding shaft D is rotatably mounted in bearings on the leaf clamping,member A, and means is provided for preventing an unauthorized personfrom rotatingsaid winding shaft rearwardly to loosen or slacken thetapes C. v I

In the form of my invention herein illustrated the meansgjust referredto comp-rises a coiled spring E surrounding the winding shaft'andarranged in such a way that while it does not interfere with the forwardrotary movement of the winding'shaft, it does effectively holdthewinding shaft against rearward rotary movement. The spring E ispreferably arranged at the lower end of the windingshaft D between ashaft beare E is provided at its upper end with a lateral extension tthat bears againstone side of a stop 5 formed by a portion on the leafclamping member A that extends lengthwise of the spring E, saidextension 4 being pref-- erably rigidly connected to the stop 5by meansof a perforated. lug or pressed portion 6 on the stop 5 into which theextension 4; on the spring extends, as shown more clearly in Figures land 5. The spring E is provided at its lower end with a lateralextension7 which also engages the same side or *face of'the' stop 5 that theextension 4 at the upper end ofthe spring engages, said extension 7having no direct connection with'the'stop 5. The spring E is soproortioned and arrangedthat when it is in its-normal condition, shownin Figure 4:, forward rotary movement of the winding shaft E tends tounwind or open up the coils of said spring, and pressure applied to thewinding shaft in. a direction tending to turn it rearwardly causes saidwinding shaft to exert pressure on the spring E in a direction totightensame, and thus cause one or more coils of the spring to exert sufficientfrictional pressure on the winding shaft to securely hold same againstrearward rotary movement. This is due, of course, to the fact that thelateral extension 7 at the lower end of the spring E has no directconnection with the stop 5 and is arranged in engagement with, said stopin such a Way that the twisting strain to which said spring is subjectedwhen the winding shaft-is turned forwardly tends to move said extension7 away from the stop 5,

therebyincreasing the diameter of the coils of the spring E and reducingthe frictional pressure of said spring on the winding shaft. Any attemptto turn the Winding shaft, rearwardly, however, exerts pressure" on thespring E in a direction tendingto force the lateral extension 7 thereontightly against the stop 5, and continued pressure on the winding shaftin this direction tightens the 7 spring and causes one or more coils ofsame to clamp the winding shaft tightly "enough to prevent it fromturning rearwardly. To

state it in another'way, the means that'is used for preventing thewinding shaft from being turned insa direction to slacken the tapes ofthe binder, consists merely of a coiled spring E wrapped around thewind' ing shaft insuch a Way and combined with a; stationary stop insuch a manner that pressure applied to the Winding shaft in a directiontending to turn it rearwardly draws one or more coils of said springinto, sufiiciently snug engagement with the winding'shaftto securelylock the same or hold;

it against rearward rotary movement, said spring also being preferablyarranged in such a way that forward rotary moi ement of the windingshaft untwists or opens up the coils of the spring, and thus relievesthe the spring on. the V frictional pressure of winding shaft. J b 5A'key is used for rotating the winding shaft D and in order to eliminatethe possibility of an unauthorized; person releasing the winding shaftand turning said shaft rearwardly to slacken the tapes, I have de visedthe winding shaft locking means in such a way that it can be renderedinoperative only by a winding key F of special design. The lockingspring E is adapted .to be renderedinoperative by changing theposition-ofthe lateral extension 7 on said spring relatively to aninclined, surface or camsB on the leaf clamping memberA-that is arrangedin proximity tosaidextension 7. In

the form of my invention herein illustrated a the cam Sis arranged onthe side thefs't'op 5 against-wl1ichthe extension 7 bears at a pointslightly above said extension, when the spring Eis in its normaloperative condition, as shown in Figure 4.' To; render the lockingspring E inoperative, said spring is compressed endwise so as to causethe extension 7 thereon to ride up onto the cam 8, and thus twistssaidispringin a di: rection'to increase the diameter of the coils ofsame sufficiently to prevent said coils from tightening sufficiently toclamp] the winding shaft D when saidshaft is turned rearw'ardly, -'lhewinding key F is; provided with a tubular portion 9 that is adapted tobe slipped over the lowerend of the winding shaft D, and an: inclinedslot 10 is formed in said tubular portion9 so as to produce a shoulder 11 and a wedge or cam 12, as shownin'Figure 6. To turn the Winding shaftD forwardly so as totighten the'tapes C, the tubular-portionfl of thewinding key IF is slipped over the lower; endof the winding shaft insuch a way that the pin 3 "will enter th'e slot 10and saidkey isthenturned'to the'right, so as to cause the shoulder 11 thereonto engagethe pin 3 on the winding shaft,- and thus transmit the rotary movementof the key to the winding llO shaft." When it is-desired to render thelocking spring E inoperative, the tubular portion-9 of the winding keyis arranged 1 in such away that the'pin 3 on thejwinding shaft is inalignment with the slot 10 in said tubular portion, and saidtubular'portion is then slipped upwardly over the winding shaft andturned to the left so as to cause the cam or wedge portion 1201 same tobe forced between the pin 3*on the winding shaft and the washer 2located above the same-thereby moving the washer 2 upwardly relativelyto the pin-*3'and causingthe' lateral extension? on the locking spring Eto ride up onto the cam 8, as shown in Fig ure 5. This, of course,causes the locking spring E' to be rendered inoperative,-as previouslydescribed, and thereafter ;the winding shaft can be turnedrearwardly ina direction to slacken the ltapesby turning the winding key F tothe-left. Various means can be used to prevent the winding shaft .D frommoving longitudinally of its hearings on the leaf clamping member A whenthe wedge portion 12 of the key F is forced between the pin 3 and washer2 to compress the spring E, the means herein shown consisting of anabutment 13 on the winding shaft that lies between two shaft bearings onthe leaf clamping member A, as shown in Figure 3.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. A loose leaf binder, comprising a winding shaft, and a coiled springsurrounding said shaft and arranged in such a way that pressure appliedto said shaft in a direction tending to turn it rearwardly causes one ormore coils of said spring to be drawn intosufficiently snug engagementwith said shaft to lock or hold same against rearward rotary movement.

2. A loose leaf binder, comprising a winding shaft, a coiled springsurrounding said shaft and arranged in such a way that pressure appliedto said shaft in a direction tending to turn it rearwardly causes one ormore coils of said spring to be drawn into sufliciently snug engagementwith said shaft to lock or hold same against rearward rotary V movement,and means for changing the normal condition of said spring so as torender it inoperative for holding said shaft, when said shaft issubjected to pressure in a direction tending to turn it rearwardly.

3. In a loose leaf binder, a winding shaft, and a coiled springsurrounding said shaft and arranged in such a manner that it doe-s notinterfere with the forward rotary movement of said shaft. but doesprevent said shaft from being turned rearwardly.

4. In a loose leaf binder, a winding shaft, a coiled spring surroundingsaid shaft and arranged in such a manner that it does not interfere withthe forward rotary movement of said shaft but does prevent said shaftfrom being turned rearwardly, and means for rendering said springinoperative when it is desired to turn said shaft rearwardly.

5. A loose leaf binder, comprising a winding shaft, a stop or abutmentdevice arranged in proximity to said shaft, and a coiled springsurrounding said shaft and combined with said abutment device in such away that forward rotary movement of said shaft tends to open up thecoils of said spring and pressure applied to said shaft in a directionto turn it rearwardly causes one or more coils of said spring tocontract and exert sufficient frictional pressure on; said shaft ,tohold it against rearward rotary movement.

6. .A loose leaf binder, comprising a wind: ing shaft, a stop orabutment member ar ranged in proximity to said shaft, a coiled springsurrounding said shaft and combined with said abutment member insuchaway that it effectively holdsv said shaft against rearward rotarymovement, and means for rendering said spring inoperative when it isdesired to turn the shaft rearwardly.

7. A loose leaf binder, comprising a wind ing shaft, a stop or abutmentmember arranged in proximity to said shaft, a coiled spring surroundingsaid shaft and com bined with said abutment member in such a way that iteffectively holds said shaft againstrearward rotary ,movement,-andcooperating means on said spring and abutment member that are adapted tobe brought into engagement with each other to render said springinoperative when it is desiredto turn said shaft rearwardly.

8. A loose leaf binder, comprising a winding shaft, a stop or abutmentmember arranged in proximity to said shaft, a coiled spring surroundingsaid shaft and provided at one end with a lateral extension that engagessaid abutment member, means for connecting the opposite endof saidspring to said abutment member, and a portion on said abutment memberthat is adapted to be brought into engagement with said extension so asto relieve the pressure of said spring on said shaft when it is desiredto turn the shaft rearwardly.

9. A loose leaf binder, comprising a winding shaft, a' coiled springsurrounding said shaft, means combined with said spring for causing oneor more coils of said spring to contract and thus tightly grip thewinding shaft when the winding shaft is subjected to pressure in adirection tending to'turn it rearwardly, and means for rendering saidspring inoperative to preventrotary movement of said shaft.

10. A loose leaf binder, comprising a winding shaft, a stop or abutmentmember arranged in proximity to said shaft, a coiled spring surroundingsaid shaft and'provided at one end with an extension that bears againstsaid abutment member, means for rearwardly, an extension 0n said spring,a

eam o'r inclined face that is adapted to engage said extension to renderthe spring inoperative for holding' bhe shaftyand means I forcompressing the spring so as to cause ing shaft, a spring surroundingsaid shaft and'arranged' in such a way 'thatit normally 10 holds saidshaft iagainst" rearward rotary movement a device for exerting pressureon said spring in a direction to render" it inoperative for holding saidshaft, and a wind mg said device-to engage said spring- ADOLPH RU Bi NiV key provided With means for causing 15'

